Microfibre cloth lifespan?

M

MacS4

New member
Sep 9, 2017
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Good evening,
so ive amassed quite a few microfibre cloths over the last few years and some feel noticeably rough compared to some of the newer ones.


How often should I be replacing these cloths to prevent damage to the finish?


many thanks,
Mac


2004 Audi S4 - Brilliant Red
 
Use a microfiber rejuvenator cleaner. This will deep clean your mf and get them softer.

Rotate them after every wash.
 
MacS4 said:
Good evening,
so ive amassed quite a few microfibre cloths over the last few years and some feel noticeably rough compared to some of the newer ones.


How often should I be replacing these cloths to prevent damage to the finish?


many thanks,
Mac


2004 Audi S4 - Brilliant Red
Click to expand...

There is a misconception that "soft = gentle" with respect to MF towels and paint. Nothing could be further from the truth. Very soft, fluffy MF that has embedded particles within the woven yarn is far more perilous to paint than WW or stiffer, flatter MF that is clean and devoid of embedded particles. You need to inspect and clean MF carefully and be aware that certain contaminants might be hidden and not obvious to touch.
 
MacS4 said:
Good evening,
so ive amassed quite a few microfibre cloths over the last few years and some feel noticeably rough compared to some of the newer ones.


How often should I be replacing these cloths to prevent damage to the finish?


many thanks,
Mac


2004 Audi S4 - Brilliant Red
Click to expand...

That is a great question. I too have a few MF towels starting to get a little rough to the touch. Not bad but beginning to notice. They are about 3 yrs old and several washes later. I just replenished my supply of MF towels and usually donate them along with any of my products I put in the sample section when I want to get rid of some products. IMO the MF towels are still good, but not great. Enough for me to replenish my supply.

Just like any other Detail prouct a MF towel is a wear item that will eventually needs to be replaced.
 
what you use to wash them and how you do it makes all the difference. if wash and dried correctly, they should last easily a year or longer. the best thing to do is buy a few dozen so your not constantly using the same ones over and over. once they start to degrade (not feel /perform the same) and you notice they start to scratch/marr, lint, etc. is to demote them to engine, wheels, and other less important tasks...
 
Mike Phillips said:
I've seen marketing copy state that Microfiber towels can be washed and re-used up to 500 times.

I've never seen a single person actually count though. :)


You know, keep a notepad by the washing machine and dryer and make tick marks.


:)
Click to expand...

According to the tick marks on my washer and dryer; I have washed my MF towels 501 Times! LOL! I like to order more MF Towels when I feel they start to get old. It just happened recently. BTW, my significant other says if I put 1 more tick on our washer and dryer she's gonna kick me out and stay in the doghouse!...LOL
 
I still have towels from my initial product orders when I started my business 7 years ago. I use a bucket system for chemicals. 1 ONRWW, APC, Dressing. I inspect the towels when they come out the wash. If it looks spotless it will go into the ONRWW to wash cars. If it's stained it goes into the APC to clean interiors and hopefully the APC will help brighten it back up. Somewhere in between it goes into the dressing. If something looks beyond hope I will toss it into a scrap bin to use as an oil rag or something else nasty that I will toss after.
 
VISITOR said:
what you use to wash them and how you do it makes all the difference. if wash and dried correctly, they should last easily a year or longer. the best thing to do is buy a few dozen so your not constantly using the same ones over and over. once they start to degrade (not feel /perform the same) and you notice they start to scratch/marr, lint, etc. is to demote them to engine, wheels, and other less important tasks...
Click to expand...

Thanks for all the replies, I've probably got 2 dozen cloths but haven't graded them for various uses. The oldest ones are around 7 years old now and are exclusively used to wash the cars in all seasons.

I'll try a rejuvenating wash and see if that makes a difference.

Cheers all!
 
MacS4 said:
Thanks for all the replies, I've probably got 2 dozen cloths but haven't graded them for various uses. The oldest ones are around 7 years old now and are exclusively used to wash the cars in all seasons.

I'll try a rejuvenating wash and see if that makes a difference.

Cheers all!
Click to expand...

don't forget to do an extra rinse cycle, some like to use vinegar but i don't find it necessary when using a microfiber detergent. i wash in warm water with a mf detergent (no fabric softener), with an extra rinse cycle, and then put them in the dryer (after i snap them out) on the lowest dry setting (no dryer sheet)...
 
What I want to know is, is there anything out there stronger then a lint roller because they are to weak to get lint off. Especially the plush ones
 
VISITOR said:
don't forget to do an extra rinse cycle, some like to use vinegar but i don't find it necessary when using a microfiber detergent. i wash in warm water with a mf detergent (no fabric softener), with an extra rinse cycle, and then put them in the dryer (after i snap them out) on the lowest dry setting (no dryer sheet)...
Click to expand...

Thanks for the guidance, I don't currently run an extra rinse although I have heard of the vinegar rinse before. I always thought the dryer could damage the fibres so have always air dried them.

Some experimenting to do in the Mac household...
 
I'm sure that the quality of your house water supply will be a factor on how well your MF towels age also
 
Just an observation here on this thread; is it me or just a guess that ALL of us detailers on this post pay more attention and care to our MF Towels than our regular clothes? I could care less what I do with my jeans and shirts in the wash. My girlfriend reminds me every time I screw up.

BUT when it comes to my MF towels I treat them like they were like GOLD! It's funny I am reading all the posts here and the recommendations on what to do, how to do and what products to use in terms of cleaning and maintenance for them CRACKS ME UP! We are ALL OCD when it comes to our MF Towels...our regular clothes NOT SO MUCH! Just a friendly thought.

:laughing:

LOL
 
VISITOR said:
don't forget to do an extra rinse cycle, some like to use vinegar but i don't find it necessary when using a microfiber detergent. i wash in warm water with a mf detergent (no fabric softener), with an extra rinse cycle, and then put them in the dryer (after i snap them out) on the lowest dry setting (no dryer sheet)...
Click to expand...

Same here. 3D Towel Clean, warm wash, extra rinse, dry on delicate and inspect before putting away. I keep about 3-4 dozen of a couple different kinds each. My waterless wash are the ones used the hardest but they are all fairly very well.
 
MacS4 said:
How often should I be replacing these
cloths to prevent damage to the finish?
Click to expand...
I have a bunch of dedicated drying
towels that I've been using for well
over 10 years, that, IMO, still don't
exhibit any signs of diminished capacity.

Wish I could say the same
diagnosis applied to me...


Bob
 
I have towels that date back to 2006 or even earlier that are still in use. They've still got a lot of life left in them. I know I have washed a few of those at least 50 times this year alone, so they have to have a couple hundred washes on them total. Some of those that old are "cheap" towels that were bought locally from places like Walmart or Target. The OTC offerings used to be much nicer though, at least compared to what is available locally to me now.
 
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